This is the third and final part of a three part series on scenic routes described in "Voyageur Press' "Backroads of South Carolina" (ISBN-13-978-0-7603-2640-4). The other parts were published Jan. 28 and Feb. 4.

Those of us who've never lived anywhere else love to hear an outsider's take on our native state since we've only seen it from the distance between eyes looking down at our own bare feet.

So I especially enjoyed combing through Voyageur Press' "Backroads of South Carolina" (ISBN-13-978-0-7603-2640-4), the travel guide written and photographed by author/photographer Nancy Mikula and her husband, Paul M. Franklin of Livingston, Tex.

The couple had been passing through South Carolina for some time, mostly along the coast, when Voyageur asked them to do something on the plantations and then separately asked for a book on the back roads.

Having just moved their travel writing business into a 39-foot diesel RV, the couple took both assignments and worked on them simultaneously, shooting 500 rolls of film and logging 11,000 miles in the Palmetto State.

"What struck me about South Carolina was the wonderfully preserved towns -- and I would count Orangeburg among those -- and how little has been written about them," he said. "I would like more people to know how beautiful the interior of South Carolina is. ... We were also impressed with the 500 years of history and how economically important South Carolina was before and after the Revolution."

Franklin talked about the loveliness of the roads around Denmark and from Aiken to Orangeburg, and the foothills through Easley and Pendleton. Among his favorite sports are Jumping Off Rock above Lake Jocassee and Huntington Beach.

"To me the routes we wrote about were secondary to the stories," he said, "such as the Blenheim Ginger Ale story or the way Denmark has picked itself up by its bootstraps."

Franklin predicts that due to the renovations by Jim Harrison and others in Denmark the Bamberg County town will emerge in coming years as an art colony.

Mikula and Franklin also authored "South Carolina's Plantations and Historic Homes." They have also written guides to Southwestern cities and areas and to Canada and are beginning a guide to Mexico City. But they must be sincere about their praise for our state, as they recently purchased an RV site and plan to park themselves at Hilton Head for the winters!

The book suggests possible paths for seeing the state one scenic drive, out of 24 suggested routes, at a time. Along the way, the authors provide an abundance of colorful details about what might be seen. This week we trace the final 12 routes.

LAKE COUNTRY: THE SOUTHWEST PIEDMONT

The seeds of history

From Abbeville, take S.C. 72 E toward Greenwood. Watch on the right for Price's Antiques and stroll through to see its automotive-themed antiques, including owner Alan Price's bright orange 1930 Chevrolet tow truck.

Turn N onto Mill Road North (also called SC-S-1-61 or Klugh Road) just before Hunter's Creek Boulevard and then right on Old Hodges Road/Blue Jay Road. Drive NE to S.C. 185 and turn E at the junction. In Hodges, take S.C. 246 E to S.C. 254 and turn S to Park Seed Company. Tour the greenhouses, and look for gardening items in the giftshop. Watch the day pass from a garden bench, enjoying what grew from 16-year-old plant lover George Park's purchase of a $3.50 hand printing press in 1868.

Return to 254, continuing E and then S to S.C. 34. At the junction with 34, continue S on S.C. 248 to Ninety Six National Historic Site. Park and follow the mile-long winding footpath and then climb the tower to see the foundations of the star-shaped fortress at the far end and a path leading to where Old Ninety Six once stood before its destruction by British Loyalists.

Roaming around Lake Country

After exploring the town of Clemson, tour Fort Hill, home of Vice President John C. Calhoun on the Clemson University campus. Also worth visiting is the 1715 Hanover House at Clemson's 295-acre Botanical Gardens.

Go S on S.C. 28/U.S. 76. At the junction with S.C. 187, turn S on 187 and continue past I-85. When you come to a T junction, turn left, continuing SE on 187, which now becomes the Savannah River National Scenic Byway. Continue S on Highway 187 to the junction with U.S. 29. Turn right on U.S. 29 and continue S to Lake Hartwell Dam Park, near the Georgia border. Past the dam and about a mile into Georgia is the Hartwell Dam Visitor Center, where you can learn more about the engineering required to build the dam.

Return N on U.S. 29 a short distance, and turn right (E) on S.C. 412 into Starr. Here you will turn right (S) on S.C. 81 to Iva. As you come into Iva, take a left on S.C. 184 and turn left (N) again on S.C. 413 to Belton. Near Belton 413 merges with U.S. 76/178. Stay on U.S. 76 into Belton and turn left (N) on S.C. 20. Take 20 N to the intersection with Cheddar Road/Garren Road and turn right (E) to the Callaham Orchards fruit stand. Stand in line for at least a two-scoop cone, then rock on the porch, watching the sun wash across the fields.Lick, gaze, rock ... repeat.

South Carolina's Cradle of Secession

As you leave Ninety Six National Historic Site, head S along S.C. 248 to the intersection with U.S. 178. Head W on U.S. 178 for a short distance to the intersection with U.S. 25. Turn S on U.S. 25 to Edgefield, and tour the 1843 Magnolia Dale home, which contains the Strom Thurmond Memorabilia Room. Stop in at Edgefield Potters for a chat with artisan Steve Ferrell, and perhaps take home a piece of state history. Also, near the visitor center, stop at Ike's, a roadside fruit stand, where Ike himself, dressed in 19th century farm clothes, may be urged to spin tales about the town's history.

A couple of miles beyond Edgefield on 25, stop at the National Wild Turkey Federation to see its dioramas and unique presentation. Just a few miles farther on the right on 25, check out Cook's Roadside Market on the right, known for its sweet peaches. Continue on to the intersection with S.C. 121 near Trenton. Turn right at the intersection, continuing S on U.S. 25 through the pecan allee to see picturesque farmland beyond.

PEACH COUNTRY: THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT

Renaissance, roses, and rebellion

From Chester, follow S.C. 9 NW 30 miles to the junction with S.C. 49. Follow 49 W 9 miles to Union. In Union, follow 49 to S.C. 18 (Pinckney Street). From this intersection, turn left (S) and go two blocks. Next turn right onto Sardis Road. Follow Sardis Road south into Sumter National Forest. Watch closely for road signs to tour Rose Hill Plantation (Rose Hill State Park on some signs), home of 1832 secessionist Gov. William Gist.

Peaches and patriots

Begin in McConnells at the junction of U.S. 321 and S.C. 322. Follow 322 E to Brattonsville Road. Turn S and continue on Brattonsville Road until you see signs for Historic Brattonsville. After visiting the village, return to Brattonsville Road and head N. Continue N on U.S. 321 where it intersects with Brattonsville Road. Eat lunch in York at the Garden Cafe. Between mid-July and mid-September, take advantage of the peach stands. On U.S. 321 near Filbert, you may meet local legend Dori Sanders at Sanders Peach Stand. Ask the New York Times best-selling author for one of her sweetest peaches and, if you're lucky, sit and listen to her stories.

Follow U.S. 321 about 20 miles (from Brattonsville Road) to the junction of S.C. 55 and turn left. Follow 55 for about 6 miles to the junction of S.C. 161 and turn right. After about 3 miles, turn left on Park Road to Kings Mountain National Military Park. Walk the 1.5 mile trail around the battlefield and see the reconstructed farmstead.

Along the Catwawba River

From Chester, follow U.S. 321 N 9 miles to S.C. 909, and then head E on 909, which makes several turns, then T-intersects with S.C. 9. Continue E on 9 to S.C. 223 and turn E. Continue E 7 miles on 223 to the intersection with U.S. 21 (Catawba River Road). Follow U.S. 21 N. To reach Landsford State Canal Park, turn right (E) on Landsford Road and follow the signs to the park at the canal built during the mid-1800s to carry cotton to the coast. See a log replica of the lockkeeper's home and take a 1.5 mile trail to the locks and an old mill site. With stunning views of the Catawba River, the park offers naturalist-led canoeing and hiking tours in May.

Return to U.S. 21 and head N to S.C. 5, which passes through the Catawba reservation outside Rock Hill. On the riverbanks, find the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project (off Reservation Road and Indian Trail); a shop offers Catawba crafts and historical displays. Scholars say the tribe has been in the state more than 4,500 years.

Follow 5 E to U.S. 521. Follow U.S. 521 N for a half mile to the entrance of Andrew Jackson State Park, where rangers rent rowboats for fishing (if you have gear and a license). Test your sneakers on the hardwood forest trails or spend a few hours in a lawn chair listening to the birds and watching the sun on the water.

THE UP COUNTRY

Mountain towns and raging rivers

Follow S.C. 11 (Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway) N from I-85 (at Exit 1) to the junction with S.C. Highway 24 and turn N to Westminster. Follow U.S. 76 NW to the Chattooga River at the Georgia border. As 76 crosses the river, you'll see an old iron bridge. Park in the parking lot before the bridge and explore, walking out on the bridge, gazing in both directions or following the trail 1/4 mile upstream to Bull Sluice Falls.

Paradise and the Path of Failed Dreams

Developed by Germans, Walhalla (German for "paradise") holds a small but enthusiastic Octoberfest every fall, but at all times is a classic example of small-town America, with its interesting shops housed in historic buildings.

From Walhalla, take S.C. 28 NW 6 miles to the Stumphouse Tunnel Park entrance on the right. Begun in 1852 as part of a route to Knoxville, Tenn., the railway tunnel was abandoned in 1858 as too costly. Just before the park, turn off to see 100-foot Issaqueena Falls.

Continue north on 28 to Russell Farmstead (on the left, just before the Georgia border), then return south on 28 to S.C. 107, turn north and follow 107 and you can find hiking trails at Oconee State Park and Cherry Hill Recreation Area.

After Cherry Hill, 107 curves even more. Watch to see a turnoff to the Walhalla Fish Hatchery, where 500,000 trout are raised for release in mountain streams.

Continue on 107 until it intersects with S-87-413 (Wiggington Road), where you'll turn right to an overlook of Lake Jocassee. Follow S-37-413, turn left onto S.C. 130, and drive to the Whitewater Falls parking area, about 1 mile across the North Carolina border.

Into the Great Blue Hills of God

Follow S.C. 11 (Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway) E from Salem about 35 miles to the junction with U.S. 25. Enroute:

Get a good view of Lake Jocassee, one of the eastern seaboard's loveliest mountain lakes, at Devil's Fork State Park.

After crossing the northern end of Lake Keowee, on the eastern side is Keowee-Toxaway State Park. Stretch your legs and enjoy the lake and mountain view. A small museum tells the Cherokee's story, and hiking trails lead to Raven Rock and other places.

A few miles NW of Keowee at the mountain's base, 11 passes through Table Rock State Park for a view of the lakes, meadows and the granite face 2,000 feet above. The 8-mile Pinnacle Trail leads to Mill Creek Falls, a view from Bald Rock and the 3,452-foot summit of Pinnacle Mountain. The park also has shorter trails, two lakes and a campground.

Two miles E of the Table Rock State Park entrance, watch for Aunt Sue's Country Corner on the left. Put your name on the restaurant list and wander through the log cabin shops until they shout your name.

Explore the side roads beyond Aunt Sue's, including a side trip to Caesar's Head and Pretty Place. Taking U.S. 276 N from 11 to Caesar's Head State Park, walk 100 yards to the viewing area on the edge of the "Head" and take the stairs down about 30 feet to a cleft in the rock and a second viewing point.

Continue N on U.S. 276, right at the North Carolina line, watching at the right for S-23-15 (Solomon Jones Road), where you turn right and follow (slowly) the signs to Camp Greenville (YMCA). At the end of the road, park in the nearby lot and step inside Symmes Chapel (Pretty Place). If you come early enough to see the sunrise (1/2 hour earlier than published as you are looking down on the horizon), you may be alone to watch the first rays light the old hills and fill the valleys.

Return to 11 and head 5 miles E to Wildcat Branch, which tumbles right to the road's edge. Watch for a parking area on the left where locals sometimes sell crafts and honey. The road continues to U.S. 25, which leads to Poinsett Bridge and the beauty of Jones Gap State Park.

Gen. Daniel Morgan's Triumph

Follow S.C. 11 from the junction with U.S. 25 E about 62 miles to Gaffney. Moving away from the mountains and into the orchards of the state's NW corner, the road passes the turnoff for Campbell's Bridge, the last covered bridge in South Carolina, near Gowensville.

Re-enter civilization in Chesnee to visit the Carolina Foothills Artisan's Center. Browse for an hour and then lunch at Bantam Chef, a '50s-style restaurant filled with memorabilia. Toss out the diet and have a big, juicy burger, fries and a thick shake.

Driving E of Chesnee on 11, if you blink you might miss Cowpens National Battlefield (about 2 miles east of Chesnee), where arguably the most decisive battles of the Revolution were fought, and learn how Gen. Daniel Morgan outsmarted the British in Hiram Saunder's cow pens.

Passing the battleground, 11 ends in Gaffney at the junction with I-85, where nearby stands one of the most photographed water towers in the state: Gaffney's "Peachoid." In July, Gaffney holds the largest peach festival in the state.

Mills and Mountains

Take S.C. 8 NW from Easley. Roughly 2 miles past the intersection with S.C. 93, turn left on Brazeale Road and continue 1/2 mile to Enon Church Road. Turn left and continue for 1-1/2 miles, looking closely on the right for parking for Golden Creek Mill. In 1985, the Rev. Leroy Stewart, a retired minister, rebuilt William O'Dell's 1815 grist mill, repaired it and opened it to the public in 1992. If he's there, take a tour and buy a bag of his mill-ground cornmeal.

After returning to 8, turn left (N) to Pickens. Open on Saturday afternoons and by appointment, the Judge James Hagood-Mauldin House contains an interesting collection of antiques, silver and the Irma Morris Museum of Fine Arts.

From downtown Pickens, turn left (W) on S.C. 183 and then make a quick right heading north on U.S. 178. Continue N on U.S. 178 for 3 miles until you see Hagood Road on your left. Follow it N to the judge's Hagood Mill and other historic buildings. Tour the property; the mill operates every third Saturday of the month.

To reach Yoder's at Meese Mill, continue N on Hagood Road to Preston McDaniel Road, where you'll go left (W) 1-1/2 miles and then turn left on Meese Mill Road. Like the Golden Creek and Hagood mills, the Mennonite Yoder's Restaurant is open from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. every third Saturday of each month. Arrive early to avoid the lines.

Continue S on Meese Mill Road until you can turn left (E) onto Reese Mill Road. Follow Reese Mill Road E until it intersects with U.S. 178 back in Pickens.

Waterfalls and Hidden Valleys: Pendleton to Twin Falls and Eastatoe Valley

Window shop in Pendleton and enjoy lunch or dinner at Farmer's Hall, eating on the patio for a view of the town square.

If it's Sunday, follow S.C. 88 east about a mile from Pendleton to Ashtabula Plantation on the left (open from 2 to 6 p.m. Sundays April-October). Behind the house is a 1790 brick home built by Sheriff Thomas Lofton.

Return on 88 to Pendleton, head E on Main Street, then bear right (heading S) on Lebanon Road. At the intersection with Breazeale Road, veer left and continue E until you reach the junction with U.S. 178. At the crossroads, head N on U.S. 178. Three miles or so past the intersection with S.C. 11, watch for a left turn (heading W) on Cleo Chapman Road. Continue about 3 miles to Eastatoe Community Road and bear right. Follow Eastatoe Community Road for one mile, turning right on Falls Road. About a mile farther, start watching for signs to a parking area for Twin Falls. Stroll, possibly alone except in summer, along a short path beside Reedy Cove Creek.

For an alternate return, go back to Cleo Chapman Road and head W, following the road throught the Eastatoe Valley, eventually turning south on Granny Gear or Roy Jones Road to return to 11.

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